


Past Lives

by katherinepulitzer



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: F/M, Major Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-19
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:07:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23210701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katherinepulitzer/pseuds/katherinepulitzer
Summary: "lost love is sweeter when it's finally foundi've got the strangest feelingthis isn't our first time around..."
Relationships: Spencer Reid/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 4





	1. In The Beginning

_c.m.l._

Honestly, I was freaking out. Like seriously freaking out. No one outside the FBI had ever traveled with the BAU before. And the only reason I get to is because my Aunt is Erin Strauss. Okay, so maybe it's because I'm a 'genius' who 'graduated from Columbia at 19' and all that but... It seems like my aunt being who she is might be a big deal as well.

And I couldn't couldn't figure out which shoes to wear. I never wanted to wear heels, especially since I'd be out in the field and I'm not... stable on heels, even just walking. So those are out, no matter how professional they look. And flats always end up giving me blisters. Which leaves me with converse... Converse it is. God, I'm going to look so unprofessional. But I don't have time to worry about my shoes. Well, at least not enough to change them. And I'm running to grab my travel mug of coffee, purse, and rushing out the door. My boyfriend, Carter, was passed out on the couch when I'd seen him last, but he'd disappeared.

He suddenly reappeared by my side, "Have a good first day, Chloe Mae." He smiled, "That rhymed."

I smiled, kissing him on the cheek, "Thanks, Carter. I gotta kiss and run, sorry. See ya later!" I said, running down the hallway and out of the building. Off the my first day with the FBI. Not just the FBI. My first day being the first author to ever get an inside look at the BAU without being an agent. Wow. No pressure?

_s.w.r._

My birthday was always weird in the office. Because I'm younger it's like I'm treated extra birthday boy-ish, which doesn't really fit in with chasing serial killers. Like... Happy Birthday! Now, here's some of the most gruesome images you'll ever see, and it's all real! Have fun finding him.

Not exactly a picture perfect birthday. Which is fine. It's just weird.

This year was no different. And I just wanted to blow out my candles. The cake, which Derek and Elle and gotten me, was sitting in front of me, and the candles just kept coming back on. Not to mention the awful hat they put me in.

"They're trick candles, okay? They're gonna come back every time!" JJ snapped at the other two, once I'd tried to blow them out a few times.

"Oh, Mommy to the rescue!" Morgan teased, shaking his head.

JJ was always cute, hearing her called mommy was weird. Even if she was a little bit of a mother figure. "Mommy?" I asked, looking up at him. And when I looked back there was a new person in the BAU. A young person I'd never seen before. She... Well, was, my age and in the BAU. Which was completely foreign to me but cool. But also she probably wasn't on my level intellectually which was less cool.

Still. This couldn't be the author with the PhD that was coming with us for weeks and weeks... No. That's so not possible. She's so... Young. And I've never met anyone my age with a PhD.

_c.m.l._

The BAU was smaller than I'd imagined. Not that I'd spent tons of time imagining the BAU but I'd spent tons of time imagining the BAU. I was stunned, stopped in my tracks for a moment. I couldn't move. People were cutting cake and things and... I was in awe at the place I'd imagined getting inside of for forever. It's not like as a little girl who dreamed of being an actress, it's like a 20 year old who wanted to be the first person to ever get an exclusive story inside the BAU and then having done it. It's like working your ass off for something and then finally getting it.

When I finally got my bearings I walked to Hotchner's office- Aunt Erin had told me where this one was. I knocked and waited for him say something, when he did I entered cautiously, extending my hand to shake. "Hello, My name is Chloe Lynch, I'm the author that will be traveling with the BAU for the next few months. Is this a good time?"

"Yes, this is just fine, sit please." Agent Hotchner said, motioning to a chair in front of his desk, which I sat in, hoping that he couldn't tell how nervous I was, though being a profiler he probably could. "So, you start with the BAU today. Don't take any direct quotes without asking, and don't get in the way. That's all I have for you. Thank you Ms. Lynch."

Before I leave the office I spin around on my heel, "Dr. Lynch, actually."

He didn't even make eye contact with me... That was kinda terrifying. Like I started getting this feeling in my chest of 'oh my god he hates me already' and I didn't like it. At all.

And in my haze I ran right into the 6'1 gangly boy who I assume is the birthday boy. Great first impression.

"Sorry! Oh my god, I'm so sorry. It's your birthday and I just run right into you." I said, much louder than I intended to. I look around at the rest of the team, "Um, Hi, I'm Chloe Lynch, I'm the author that's going to be with you for the next few months. I'm really excited about this and if you have any questions or concerns, let me know. Yeah..." I said, trailing off and looking down at me feet, completely mortified. Great job, Clo.

"You- You're fine, don't worry. It's inevitable that someone would run into someone and the fact that it's my birthday doesn't affect the odds of me being run into at all." The boy said, looking just as nervous as I feel, "I'm Spencer, I mean, Dr. Reid." He said, sticking out his hand for me to shake, which I take, still kinda shocked that Hotchner had just blown me off like that.

"Well, yes, of course. It may not affect the probability but it doesn't mean that I don't irrationally feel worse about running into you today of all days because you were born today." I say back, knowing that we'll have fun. We match intelligence! This hardly ever happens. "How old are you? 20? Or do you just look that young?"

"I just look that young, I actually turn 24 today." Dr. Reid replied nodding, "What about you? You seem quite youthful yourself and I know you have a PhD."

I sighed, I didn't like talking about my age. Especially not when I just met people, it tended to make them respect me less. People never listen to someone when they're young, no matter how much smarter they may be. But Dr. Reid is young and smart too, so I'm not as hesitant.

"I'm actually 23." I said, sighing, "Nice to know I won't be the only one on the team who isn't above the age of 30."

"It's like two robots trying to convince us that they're human," One of them joked, "I'm Derek Morgan."

"Elle Greenaway."

"Jennifer Jereau. You can call me JJ."

I turned to Gideon, "And you're Jason Gideon. It's amazing to be working with you, I know that you don't like people using the BAU to earn fame, I honestly just want to tell everyone your story. A lot of people in the US don't understand profiling, or how much work you all do for the safety of the general public."

Hotchner appeared out of his office, "Party time's over..."


	2. And to Continue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chloe attends her first briefing with the team. Then she learns that her boyfriend, Carter, has done it again.

_ c.m.l. _

Holy shit. That's all I can think as these images are laid out in front of me:  _ holy fucking shit _ _._ Not that I'd say that out loud, but they all keep piping in with comments on the 'unsub' based on the photos. Unsub means unknown subject, which Reid told me under his breath as they were all chattering. He must've read the confusion on my face. I've been taking notes, casual ones, on their terminology and the case just in case I decided to include it in the book. 

Agent Hotchner noticed this and gave me a look... I can't quite describe it but it made me stop writing and put my pen down. I felt a cold shiver go down my spine: this guy put me on edge. Profilers in general put me on edge. You never know how much they know about you... Just from how you act in your day to day life. Terrifying. 

I was lost in thought, probably looking like a sociopath from the way I had zoned out staring at images of murdered women when I realized someone had said “Wheels up in 30.” 

I turned to Spencer, who was still sitting and looking at one of the specific images. “What does wheels up mean?” I asked quietly, feeling more stupid than I’ve ever felt in my life.

Spencer didn’t look up from the photo at first, as if his brain was still focused there, “It’s a thing Hotch says a lot. It’s when the jet will leave, you know, when the wheels will leave the ground,” he explained, only glancing at me to see if I was still confused at the end of his explanation.

I nodded, standing up and shoving my notes into my bag. “Thanks for explaining,” I looked around the room one last time, taking in my first day at FBI headquarters. “See you then, I guess,”

As I walked out of the bullpen I noticed that my phone had been blown up with messages: all from one person. Some of them were from late last night, after I’d fallen asleep. Actually, most of them were from before 6 am today. They were all from my boyfriend. Which I knew meant one thing. He’d gone out last night and he didn’t tell me. But I didn’t have time to be mad at Carter right now, I had to focus on this case and my opportunity at the FBI.

God, was he still drunk when he kissed me goodbye this morning? I was seething with anger and about to get on a plane full of FBI profilers. Well shit. And lucky me! I didn’t want to talk about it. But I knew that I’d be talking about it if they noticed. Of course they’d notice.

On the plane, I really tried to say out of everyone’s way. Maybe if they didn’t see me, they would conduct business as usual and not ask me about the steam coming out of me ears. Then today really would be my lucky day. Unfortunately, my genius olán only worked for a few minutes. Then JJ was sitting across from me and looking sympathetic. 

“Hey, Dr. Lynch,” She started. I wanted to stop her right there and tell her to call me Chloe but she looked determined to say something to me and I didn’t want to stop her, “I know that this team is... Difficult to fit into at first. Just don’t feel like anyone here is trying to personally attack you. Believe me, you’ll get under their skin one way or another at some point,”

“Thanks, JJ,” I replied, looking her in the eyes and trying to force my best smile, “And you can call my Chloe, seriously. There’s no need to be formal,”

“Of course. You just looked... Disappointed,” JJ shrugged, “These guys are super focused on their case but I noticed you and I had to say something. My first day at the FBI I felt like no one would ever respect me, let alone like me. Now this team is basically my family. All it takes is time,” 

I nodded. She had sensed my feelings but linked them to the wrong source. Thank God, I didn’t have to talk about my rocky relationship with people I just met. They all seemed great and sure they trusted me to write a book about them but... They didn’t need to know that I was dating an alcoholic who probably had another girl in our apartment right now. 

“Thank you, it means a lot,” I sighed, shaking my head, “I feel like I’m at the bottom of a huge mountain right now and to climb it I have to get all of you to like me, which to be honest has never been my strong suit...”

JJ smiled, “Well, you have me on your side,” she looked behind her and lowered her voice, “And between you and me, I think Dr. Reid would say the same,”

I didn’t know why that made me feel butterflies in my stomach. I didn’t know why I felt like a high school girl, at least one in movies all of a sudden. It was like one of those sleepover scenes where the girls talked about boys. I’d never done that with anyone before, I’d always been so much younger than all of them that I was an outsider. JJ made me feel like one of the girls, though. And her comment about Spencer just so happened to make me blush. 

That was weird. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i wrote most of this late at night and uhhhh i cannot guarantee that it will make ANY sense or be good oops

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this a while ago and posted it on wattpad but I think I’ll post it here now and actually update it?? maybe.


End file.
